ESCs are benign mesenchymal soft-tissue tumor composed mainly of hyaline cartilage without any bony or periosteal involvement. It constitutes only 1.5% of benign soft-tissue tumors.[1,2] Most of ESCs were found between 30-60 year of age and have an equal sex distribution. It is very rarely seen in children.[2] ESC arise principally in extremities (96%) with 72% in the hands and 24% in the feet and only 4% in the rest of the body.[1,2] In our case, it was located over the anterior abdomen wall.

Clinically, they present as a slow-growing mass, occasionally causing pain or tenderness. They are usually less than 3 cm in size and firm or rubbery on palpation.[1] Soft-tissue masses of anterior abdominal wall in children encompass a wide variety of lesions including soft-tissue abscess, lipoma, posttraumatic hematoma, vascular malformation, desmoid tumor, and cysticercosis. The etiology of ESC is uncertain. It is believed that either these lesions develop from residual embryonal tissue in the area of preexisting fetal cartilage or pleuripotent mesenchymal cells undergo metaplasia, differentiating into cartilage.[2] Malignant transformation has not been reported in English literature.[3]

On plain radiographs, ESC may appear as well-circumscribed, lobulated mass with dense central mineralization.[4] Calcification is usually ring-like punctate or granular. Sometimes, mineralization has an unusual configuration or is completely absent. The lesion should be differentiated from myositis ossificans, tumoral calcinosis, chondroid syringoma, low-grade extra-osseous chondrosarcoma and extraskeletal osteosarcoma. Wide local excision is the optimal treatment for ESC. Local recurrence has been seen in up to 18% cases and metastasis has not been documented.[5]

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